Re-starting a Yeast Starter

[Nolen Smith]

I had planned to brew this past Sunday so got a 1028 London Ale starter going on Saturday morning. My Sunday schedule got carried away so I wasn't able to brew. My starter, about 750ml, was fermenting away nicely when I realised that I was not going to be able to get brewing. Not really knowing what to do with the starter, I put it in the fridge (its in a santised 1 ltr bottle with airlock). My question is (well, two questions are), what *should* I have done - let the starter ferment out? And secondly, what is the best way to re-prepare it for pitching when I brew this weekend? TIA.

[Reviled]

I probably would have let it ferment out, but its not gonna make a difference.. Just decant the liquid when you want to get it going again and put a bit more wort in there, or, just decant the liquid and pitch the slurry, the yeast will still be active..

[JoKing]

As far as preparing it for a brew this weekend, I would just let it warm up to your intended pitching temp, and pitch it. It'll have enough yeast in there to get things going. I've personally done this many times - I work in shipping and my schedule can change without notice.

The brew will be fine. Enjoy brewing it!

[Nolen Smith]

Thanks for the advice! My initial thinking was to let it warm back up and pitch as Joking suggests. I was assuming that by putting it in the fridge prior to it fermenting out, the little yeasties would go into 'suspended animation'. So, my simple view of things lead me to think that they'll just kick back into action once they warm up again... but maybe yeast are more complex that I am. ...I'll give it a go.

Cheers

[denimglen]

I'd take it out of the fridge and let it finish fermenting out, maybe give it a shake up if it needs it, then as Stu suggested below give it a few hundred mLs.

I once had a starter that I didn't let ferment completely, crashed it out, then pitched just the slurry. Was kinda funky that fermentation.

[jt]

once had a starter that I didn't let ferment completely, crashed it out, then pitched just the slurry. Was kinda funky that fermentation

That's one of the reasons I'm using dry. There can be a lot of variables with getting a starter going and if you can't control them you won't get the results you want - time and temperature are two.

However, the dried yeast offereing does leave something to be desired ....

[Stu McKinlay]

warm it up Smith!
then add another few hundred mls of wort... I'm doing the same this week but without the fridge kerfuffle.